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Apr

18

The Step Before Happily Ever After: Tips to Maintaining Your Home

April 18, 2013

So you bought a home? First, congratulations! But, before you ride off into the sunset, let’s tackle what that entails. Between buying a home and “happily ever after,” there lies a second step that needs to be addressed. Homeownership comes with responsibilities and maintenance, so educating yourself on how to make your castle shine is important.

After you get the proper insurance, have your home professionally inspected for any potentially dangerous flaws. Faulty wiring, for example, is an incredibly dangerous fire hazard. Electrical systems are not meant to last an eternity. (In fact, their shelf life is between 30 and 40 years.) If you’re home is more than 40 years old, it might be time for an electrician to take a look.

If you’re looking at resale value, which you probably should be, consider going green. Home buyers are looking to save money when purchasing a home, so homes with environmentally friendly upgrades spend significantly less time on the market than their traditional counterparts. You can certainly consider energy efficient appliances, but there are some small things you can do as well. Reduce the water use of your home and consider switching to energy efficient lighting.

The exterior is important for obvious reasons. It’s quite literally the face of your home.. Yearly check ups for your exterior are a must. It’s not just the siding that needs checkups, though. You should also have your roof inspected once a year to ensure everything is still in “tip top” condition up there.

Speaking of the roof, there are other things to familiarize yourself with down below. Your pipes are something that can be a major headache if they’re not getting the attention they need. Taking precautions against freezing pipes and acquainting yourself with the pipework is important. You’ll want to know which pipes to shut off in case of inclement weather, as well as what kind of pipes you have working. (Like the wiring, pipes also have a life span that is dependent on the kind of pipe.)

Like any new relationship, you will slowly get to know your castle more intimately. Over time, you’ll come to understand and appreciate all of its idiosyncrasies and quirks. In this case, the more you know about each other, the better. If you take care of your home, it will in turn take care of you. These are just a few tips to point you in the right direction: The direction of “happily ever after.”